Faux News comedy

[MultiTroll]

:lol It never ends with Fox Propoganda.

Blaming Barry for the North Korean hack and cancellation of the movie.
This airhead:
http://p1cdn01.thewrap.com/images/2013/10/Tantaros.jpg
hired strictly for her boneable looks and previous Repug propoganda assignments, she tried to spin that Barry should be sending in protection to the movie theaters. You know, the *get Gov't off our backs* Repug party.
What, send in troops to every individual movie theater? :lmao

Token Black chick anchor was on the panel, along with this guest chick:
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/gene_simmons_2399257.jpg

[Yonivore]

I blame Sony.

I blame their IT department for not building a better firewall.

I blame their creative staff for choosing to mock a crazy dictator with nukes and the apparent ability to strike terror in Sony's management.

I do, however, believe pulling the theatrical release was the right move. Who wants to be responsible for the deaths of all those children whose Christmas Day excursion to watch Annie just happened to position them next to a screening of The Interview.

I hope it is eventually it is released on DVD so this can happen:

Human Rights Group Plans to Airdrop The Interview DVDs into North Korea (http://www.mediaite.com/online/human-rights-group-plans-to-airdrop-the-interview-dvds-into-north-korea/)

Aside for executing some appropriate response to this clear cyber attack by a foreign nation (perhaps some stuxnet variation that plays the Star Spangled Banner over an image of Kim Jong Un getting boned in the ass by an ass), I also think the President needs to make it clear to North Korea and his fellow Americans just what the consequences will be if any violence, connected to this cyber attack, is perpetrated against Americans, here or abroad.

[ChumpDumper]

So what are you saying those clear consequences should be?

[Yonivore]

So what are you saying those clear consequences should be?
I'm sorry, I don't have access to the full range of intelligence or available responses to give you a response. What do you think should happen if North Korea sponsors an act of terrorism against Americans?

I think I'd bring back directed assassinations and kill the bastard. But, I'm not the President. Perhaps he'll redirect a couple of drones and take out the President Palace and a few dozen innocent bystanders. Just needs to be something, I suppose. Don't you?

[ChumpDumper]

I'm sorry, I don't have access to the full range of intelligence or available responses to give you a response. What do you think should happen if North Korea sponsors an act of terrorism against Americans?

I think I'd bring back directed assassinations and kill the bastard. But, I'm not the President. Perhaps he'll redirect a couple of drones and take out the President Palace and a few dozen innocent bystanders. Just needs to be something, I suppose. Don't you?That would be the worst response ever, I suppose.

[Yonivore]

That would be the worst response ever, I suppose.
What would be your response?

[ChumpDumper]

What would be your response?Not one that would start a nuclear war.

[Winehole23]

Aside for executing some appropriate response to this clear cyber attack by a foreign nation...http://www.wired.com/2014/12/evidence-of-north-korea-hack-is-thin/

[Spurminator]

http://www.wired.com/2014/12/evidence-of-north-korea-hack-is-thin/

Great read, thanks. NK has seemed like a convenient bogeyman for all of this. Especially for the hackers.

[Yonivore]

Not one that would start a nuclear war.
Not an answer.

[Winehole23]

How is it clear this is a cyberattack by NK, Yonivore? Do you believe everything your government tells you?

[ChumpDumper]

Not an answer.Personally, I don't think North Korea is stupid enough to do anything of the sort, so it's tough to even put a response that would start a nuclear war on the table..

I doubt most theater chains or Sony thought so either -- they're just afraid people wouldn't watch The Hobbit.

The fact you went straight to nuclear war sounds about par for the course.

[Yonivore]

How is it clear this is a cyberattack by NK, Yonivore? Do you believe everything your government tells you?
I don't know that it is clear. It seems plausible and Obama's FBI has suggested there is evidence (however thin) that NK is responsible. My suggestions were predicated on it being clear and, since I'm in absolutely no position to direct any response, I took license to be flippant, snarky, and sarcastic. So, by all means, feel free to not employ my suggested responses until you're satisfied they're the culprits...and only then, if you're comfortable do so.

[CosmicCowboy]

I totally agree with this article...

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/reaction-to-the-sony-hack-is-beyond-the-realm-of-stupid

[Winehole23]

This is not just now a case study in how not to react to cyber threats and a case study in how to not defend your networks, it's now also a case study in how not to respond to terrorism threats. We have just communicated to any would-be attacker that we will do whatever they want.


It is mind-boggling to me, particularly when you compare it to real things that have actually happened. Someone killed 12 people and shot another 70 people at the opening night of Batman: The Dark Knight [Rises]. They kept that movie in the theaters.

You issue an anonymous cyber threat that you do not have the capability to carry out? We pulled a movie from 18,000 theaters.

smh

[Winehole23]

more idiocy: http://www.mediaite.com/online/paramount-bans-movie-theaters-from-showing-team-america-in-place-of-the-interview/

[ElNono]

I totally agree with this article...

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/reaction-to-the-sony-hack-is-beyond-the-realm-of-stupid

This is spot on. I actually happen to work with computer security (have exchanged emails with the likes of Schneier) and the whole "cyberterror/cyberattack/cyberweapon/etc" is a lot of cyberbullshit.

Securing your systems is what every company that values their information does every day. This happened way before 9/11, was never considered anything but an intrusion attempt or hack.

If you didn't keep up or you didn't have a competent security analyst, then it's on you.

[Yonivore]

I totally agree with this article...

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/reaction-to-the-sony-hack-is-beyond-the-realm-of-stupid
I don't totally agree with it but, it makes some good points.

From the article:


the ability to steal gossipy emails from a not-so-great protected computer network is not the same thing as being able to carry out physical, 9/11-style attacks in 18,000 locations simultaneously.
...
This group has not shown the capability to do that.
...
You issue an anonymous cyber threat that you do not have the capability to carry out? We pulled a movie from 18,000 theaters.

I found this a bit specious; his assertion that, just because whoever made the threat couldn't attack all 18,000 theaters, simultaneously, that they were incapable of carrying out on their threat at all. How many many theaters would need to be attacked for it to be considered a terrorist attack? How many deaths should Sony be willing to accept just so they could screen a movie on Christmas Day? I still think pulling the movie out of theaters was the right thing to do.

All the other nonsense where Sony plays the victim is just as he says, stupid. But, watching it is kind of entertaining, I must admit.

I particularly found it interesting, because of our discussion in another thread, that Sony actually had a conversation about not casting Denzel Washington in the new Equalizer movie because their international consumers are racist.

Kudos on them for ignoring the suggestion and doing it anyway, I loved the original Equalizer and look for to Washington's take on the character.

[CosmicCowboy]

uhhhh...North Koreans =/= Muslim religious fanatics

And your take on the Denzel Washington / Equalizer thing is wrong. Read it again. Nowhere did it say Sony execs had that conversation.

[Yonivore]

uhhhh...North Koreans =/= Muslim religious fanatics
Stipulating that we don't know Korea is behind it (although, you're right, they're not Muslim religious fanatics but, that doesn't make them any less crazy -- just different crazy), that wasn't my point. I just want to take issue with his contention over the scope of the threat. The hackers' threat did not necessarily have to involve all 18,000 theaters for Sony to be concerned that something might happen at one theater. Seriously, If the threat was legitimate, is the release of a movie worth the liability that brings? Sony apparently thought not. Now, I will clarify what I said earlier. I said it was the right thing to do. More precisely, I think it was a reasonable thing to do, given what they knew at the time. I was looking forward to seeing The Interview and would have probably risked going out and viewing it had they decided not to pull it from theaters.


And your take on the Denzel Washington / Equalizer thing is wrong. Read it again. Nowhere did it say Sony execs had that conversation.

Sony leak: Denzel Washington should not star in lead roles overseas because the world is 'racist' (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/sony-leak-denzel-washington-should-not-star-in-lead-roles-overseas-because-the-world-is-racist-9932507.html)

The title of the article is NOT what was contained in the leaked e-mail but, I didn't want to be accused of trying to be less than transparent. No where that I can find do either of the parties to the e-mail suggest Denzel Washington should not be cast; just that casting him (the producer beleives) is problematic for overseas release because of all the racists.


The Oscar-winning actor was the subject of emails sent shortly after the release of his film The Equalizer, with an unnamed producer telling Sony chairman Michael Lynton that they hoped the shocking comment was not “inappropriate or provocative”.

“I am not saying The Equalizer should not have been made or that African American actors should not have been used (I personally think Denzel Washington is the best actor of his generation),” wrote the producer.

“Casting him is saying we’re okay with a double if the picture works. He’s reliable at the domestic [box office], safe, but has not had a huge success in years.

“I believe whenever possible the non-event pictures, extra ‘bets’, should have a large inherent upside and be made for the right price. Here there isn’t a large inherent upside.”

Despite grossing $191 million in cinemas globally, with just under half of all ticket sales coming from outside the US, the leaked emails argued that overseas takings were not good enough because of Washington’s race.

[B]“I believe that the international motion picture audience is racist – in general pictures with an African American lead don’t play well overseas,” the producer continued.
Yeah, they did have that discussion.

It's curious the leakers didn't choose to name the produce responsible for initiating the conversation but, it was among the leaked e-mails, nonetheless.

[CosmicCowboy]

Stipulating that we don't know Korea is behind it (although, you're right, they're not Muslim religious fanatics but, that doesn't make them any less crazy -- just different crazy), that wasn't my point. I just want to take issue with his contention over the scope of the threat. The hackers' threat did not necessarily have to involve all 18,000 theaters for Sony to be concerned that something might happen at one theater. Seriously, If the threat was legitimate, is the release of a movie worth the liability that brings? Sony apparently thought not. Now, I will clarify what I said earlier. I said it was the right thing to do. More precisely, I think it was a reasonable thing to do, given what they knew at the time. I was looking forward to seeing The Interview and would have probably risked going out and viewing it had they decided not to pull it from theaters.



Sony leak: Denzel Washington should not star in lead roles overseas because the world is 'racist' (http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/sony-leak-denzel-washington-should-not-star-in-lead-roles-overseas-because-the-world-is-racist-9932507.html)

The title of the article is NOT what was contained in the leaked e-mail but, I didn't want to be accused of trying to be less than transparent. No where that I can find do either of the parties to the e-mail suggest Denzel Washington should not be cast; just that casting him (the producer beleives) is problematic for overseas release because of all the racists.


Yeah, they did have that discussion.

It's curious the leakers didn't choose to name the produce responsible for initiating the conversation but, it was among the leaked e-mails, nonetheless.

Where does it say that anonymous producer was a Sony Employee?

[Yonivore]

Wow! They're hitting on all our favorite themes today...

Next up, The LA Weekly and "White Liberal Guilt," which is morphing into "White Privilege" much like Global Cooling became Global Warming that became Global Climate Change...I guess they're just trying to be inclusive; after all, why should Liberals be the only guilty party? Except, in this case, I'm pretty sure all the significant players are Liberals.

Killing The Interview Opens Studios to Terrorist Manipulation (http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/12/17/killing-the-interview-opens-studios-to-terrorist-manipulation)


The movie about a talk TV crew’s CIA-initiated plot to assassinate a living state leader, in this case Kim Jong-un, is also nearly without peer—nearly.

Emily Carman, assistant professor of film and media arts at Chapman University, says Hollywood received pressure from the Chinese government in 1932 and 1933 with the releases of Shanghai Express and The Bitter Tea of General Yen, respectively.

The films featured white actors in yellowface as well as interracial relationships. “It was a racist, Eurocentric view of China,” Carman said.

Leaders threatened to block film distribution in China, but Hollywood did not back down, she said.

The Interview also hits a familiar note of insensitivity toward an Asian nation. Before that, in 2001, the Ben Stiller comedy Zoolander featured a plot about a fashion model recruited to assassinate the prime minister of Malaysia. That nation and neighboring Singapore banned its exhibition.

“Can you imagine the outcry if North Korea released, Get Obama, about the assassination of a sitting president,” asks Douglas Thomas, associate professor of communication at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
Why would there be? There was no outcry over the release of the 2006 American release of "Death of a President," which, amazingly the author of this piece conveniently skipped over, going all the way back to 1932 to illustrate her premise films about assassinating living state leaders. Maybe it's not as infrequent as she claims. Besides, would we even know if North Korea released a movie?

And then there's the abominable "white privilege."


“It’s amazing that this even got green-lit,” Carman adds. “Wow, nothing’s really changed. This is still a white male, Western-centric view of a small Asian nation.”

Hey, it was blessed by the administration of a President that was once mistaken for a valet...

Exclusive: Sony Emails Say State Department Blessed Kim Jong-Un Assassination in ‘The Interview’ (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/17/exclusive-sony-emails-allege-u-s-govt-official-ok-d-controversial-ending-to-the-interview.html)

Surely, that should assuage some of the guilt.

[Yonivore]

Where does it say that anonymous producer was a Sony Employee?
What's your point in arguing the unnamed producer who was corresponding with Sony Chairman Michael Lynton was, or was not, a Sony employee?

But, to that point, in one e-mail he says (in the context of discussing the release of a Sony Product with the Sony Chairman), "Casting him is saying we're okay with a double [baseball term] if the picture works."

I think it's reasonable to infer both, from the fact the exchange took place at all plus the writer including the recipient with the term "we're" that there is more than just a casual connection between Sony and the writer. Employee? Maybe not. Could be the Producer is under contract with Sony which, in many places and way, makes him an employee. But, again, I'm not sure why that's even relevant. the exchange took place and, it's obvious the writer believes Sony's international consumers are racist.

[CosmicCowboy]

LOL Yonnie...you are moonwalking backwards. You are the one that specifically mentioned the e-mail and it's racist implications. I simply responded to your allegations.

If anyrthing, as you speculate, SONY Execs considered that casting a black actor in the leading role was going to hurt them financially in the international market, they should be praised for going ahead and doing it anyway instead of being criticized.

[Dirk Oneanddoneski]

I don't think NK had anything to do with it , I think Rogen and Franco tried to use the hack for more publicity for the Interview and it backfired. The hack is costing those sheenywood Kikes a ton of shekels though so I hope the rest of the movie industry is targeted as well as other Jew media outlets.

[Yonivore]

LOL Yonnie...you are moonwalking backwards. You are the one that specifically mentioned the e-mail and it's racist implications. I simply responded to your allegations.

If anyrthing, as you speculate, SONY Execs considered that casting a black actor in the leading role was going to hurt them financially in the international market, they should be praised for going ahead and doing it anyway instead of being criticized.
I believe if you'll check my post, that's what I said.

I gave kudos to Sony for going ahead, even though they perceived it would hurt them in the racist international market. But, as I said, the conversation did happen. You said it didn't.

I know no one likes to be wrong but, fuck, does everyone have to be so pedantic when they feel challenged over something so inconsequential. My comment was made at the end of a post, germane to this thread. It wasn't even relevant to the conversation but, as I stated, it was interesting because it crossed over into a discussion we were having in another thread.

[TheSanityAnnex]

Great read, thanks. NK has seemed like a convenient bogeyman for all of this. Especially for the hackers.

2: Update at 8p.m. 12/18/14: Minutes after we published this story examining the known evidence for and against North Korea as the source of the hack, The New York Times and other media outlets announced that the U.S. administration was ready to conclude North Korea was involved in the Sony hack. We have updated the story with this new information.

[Spurminator]

Wow! They're hitting on all our favorite themes today...

Next up, The LA Weekly and "White Liberal Guilt," which is morphing into "White Privilege" much like Global Cooling became Global Warming that became Global Climate Change...I guess they're just trying to be inclusive; after all, why should Liberals be the only guilty party? Except, in this case, I'm pretty sure all the significant players are Liberals.

Killing The Interview Opens Studios to Terrorist Manipulation (http://www.laweekly.com/informer/2014/12/17/killing-the-interview-opens-studios-to-terrorist-manipulation)

Why would there be? There was no outcry over the release of the 2006 American release of "Death of a President," which, amazingly the author of this piece conveniently skipped over, going all the way back to 1932 to illustrate her premise films about assassinating living state leaders. Maybe it's not as infrequent as she claims. Besides, would we even know if North Korea released a movie?

And then there's the abominable "white privilege."

Hey, it was blessed by the administration of a President that was once mistaken for a valet...

Exclusive: Sony Emails Say State Department Blessed Kim Jong-Un Assassination in ‘The Interview’ (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/12/17/exclusive-sony-emails-allege-u-s-govt-official-ok-d-controversial-ending-to-the-interview.html)

Surely, that should assuage some of the guilt.

Do you have some kind of "white privilege" Google Alert set up? This was the opinion of one University professor in an article devoted to collecting a variety of points of view on Sony's cancellation of The Interview.

Besides, Death of a President was controversial when it was released: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_a_President_(2006_film)#Response

Where have you seen any kind of widespread outcry over The Interview's depiction of Kim Jong Un being assassinated?

[Spurminator]

2: Update at 8p.m. 12/18/14: Minutes after we published this story examining the known evidence for and against North Korea as the source of the hack, The New York Times and other media outlets announced that the U.S. administration was ready to conclude North Korea was involved in the Sony hack. We have updated the story with this new information.

These were the updates they made to the article:

1 The New York Times reported this evening (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/world/asia/us-links-north-korea-to-sony-hacking.html) that North Korea is “centrally involved” in the hack, citing unnamed U.S. intelligence officials. It’s unclear from the Times report what “centrally involved” means and whether the intelligence officials are saying the hackers were state-sponsored or actually agents of the state. The Times also notes that “It is not clear how the United States came to its determination that the North Korean regime played a central role in the Sony attacks.” The public evidence pointing at the Hermit Kingdom is flimsy.
2 New reports, however, indicate that intelligence officials who are not permitted to speak on the record have concluded that the North Koreans are behind the hack. But they have provided no evidence to support this and without knowing even what agency the officials belong to, it’s difficult to know what to make of the claim. And we should point out that intelligence agencies and government officials have jumped to hasty conclusions or misled the public in the past because it was politically expedient.

I certainly don't have any evidence one way or the other, so for all I know this could be Kim Jong Un himself and a group of his hacker buddies... But my point was that the North Korea/domestic terrorist threat, however unrealistic, is a great excuse for Sony to pull the movie completely and prevent additional leaks, which is their primary concern.

[ChumpDumper]

There was no outcry over the release of the 2006 American release of "Death of a President," which, amazingly the author of this piece conveniently skipped over, going all the way back to 1932 to illustrate her premise films about assassinating living state leaders.Which living state leaders were assassinated in Shanghai Express and The Bitter Tea of General Yen?

[Yonivore]

Do you have some kind of "white privilege" Google Alert set up? This was the opinion of one University professor in an article devoted to collecting a variety of points of view on Sony's cancellation of The Interview.
No, I just consume a wide range of information sources.


Besides, Death of a President was controversial when it was released: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_a_President_(2006_film)#Response
Controversial, sure. But, I dare to suggest if that movie were made today, about Obama, controversy wouldn't even begin to describe what would happen.


Where have you seen any kind of widespread outcry over The Interview's depiction of Kim Jong Un being assassinated?
Nowhere, I probably wouldn't even be aware that North Korea had released a movie. Do they have a film industry?

[CosmicCowboy]

Seriously? If the French made a movie where Obama got his head graphically exploded on video you don't think there would be fallout?

Before this happens I am on record...

Fuck Freedom Fries!

[Yonivore]

Seriously? If the French made a movie where Obama got his head graphically exploded on video you don't think there would be fallout?

Before this happens I am on record...

Fuck Freedom Fries!
I thought we were talking about the Norks.

The French. :lmao

[ElNono]

:lol how much money are we spending on the TSA, airport security, ports of entry security over the terrerist boogeyman? and we can't even screen a movie without shitting pants over a tweeter threat?

[Winehole23]

Yoni sure can't

[Yonivore]

Yoni sure can't
I was planning on going to the movie.

[angrydude]

People are way too scared of North Korea.

The only reason the country exists is so China can have a buffer state between it and South Korea.

[Winehole23]

I was planning on going to the movie.You said Sony was right to pull it. You shit your pants over an anonymous, nonspecific tweet.

You're a coward.

[Cry Havoc]

You said Sony was right to pull it. You shit your pants over an anonymous, nonspecific tweet.

You're a coward.

Damn, winehole with no regard.

[Winehole23]

Yoni cringes in the face of terror and licks the boot of countervailing force. That's just how he rolls.

[Yonivore]

You said Sony was right to pull it. You shit your pants over an anonymous, nonspecific tweet.

You're a coward.
Not that it matters, I actually modified that remark in a later post. I realized posters such as you were unable to discern the meaning of what was being said, in the context of the greater conversation, and that you seize on simple words and phrases to pull out of a total conversation to beat other posters about the head a face with them and, so, thought better of using the word "right."

My saying they did the "right" thing was related to their reasonable concern that if ANYTHING had happened to ANYONE at ANY theater, where The Interview was being screened, they would be held liable if it could even be tangentially connected to their "refusal to bow to terrorist" and/or leaving the movie in theaters when they knew a threat existed. I was thinking of our litigious society, not terrorists.

Yonivore says (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242393&p=7733766&viewfull=1#post7733766)


Now, I will clarify what I said earlier. I said it was the right thing to do. More precisely, I think it was a reasonable thing to do, given what they knew at the time. I was looking forward to seeing The Interview and would have probably risked going out and viewing it had they decided not to pull it from theaters.

[Winehole23]

My saying they did the "right" thing was related to their reasonable concern that if ANYTHING had happened to ANYONE at ANY theater, where The Interview was being screened, they would be held liable if it could even be tangentially connected to their "refusal to bow to terrorist" and/or leaving the movie in theaters when they knew a threat existed. I was thinking of our litigious society, not terroristsYou said it was a clear case of state sponsored terrorism and suggested a nuclear bomb would an appropriate response.

You quickly backpedaled when you saw how preposterous your own reaction was. I agree with you that it was ridiculous and applaud the more reasonable position you claim to hold now.

[Yonivore]

You said it was a clear case of state sponsored terrorism and suggested a nuclear bomb would an appropriate response.
You're going to have to quote me on that.


You quickly backpedaled when you saw how preposterous your own reaction was. I agree with you that it was ridiculous and applaud the more reasonable position you claim to hold now.
You don't understand snark or sarcasm, do you?

Here are the three posts I could find where I talk about who's responsible and what I would do about it. If I missed one, I apologize, you can point it out to me.

Now, where in these three posts, do I say it is a "clear case of state sponsored terrorism" [I know, in post #2 but, I don't identify Korea] and, further, where do I suggest a "nuclear bomb would be an appropriate response?"

Post #13 (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242393&p=7733673&viewfull=1#post7733673)


I don't know that it is clear. It seems plausible and Obama's FBI has suggested there is evidence (however thin) that NK is responsible. My suggestions were predicated on it being clear and, since I'm in absolutely no position to direct any response, I took license to be flippant, snarky, and sarcastic. So, by all means, feel free to not employ my suggested responses until you're satisfied they're the culprits...and only then, if you're comfortable do so.

Post #4 (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242393&page=2&p=7733547&viewfull=1#post7733547)


I'm sorry, I don't have access to the full range of intelligence or available responses to give you a response. What do you think should happen if North Korea sponsors an act of terrorism against Americans?

I think I'd bring back directed assassinations and kill the bastard. But, I'm not the President. Perhaps he'll redirect a couple of drones and take out the President Palace and a few dozen innocent bystanders. Just needs to be something, I suppose. Don't you?
I apologize for not putting the snarky second sentence in blue. I clearly indicated I don't know what I would do because, I don't have enough information.

Post #2 (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242393&page=2&p=7733525&viewfull=1#post7733525)


Aside for executing some appropriate response to this clear cyber attack by a foreign nation (perhaps some stuxnet variation that plays the Star Spangled Banner over an image of Kim Jong Un getting boned in the ass by an ass), I also think the President needs to make it clear to North Korea and his fellow Americans just what the consequences will be if any violence, connected to this cyber attack, is perpetrated against Americans, here or abroad.

[Cry Havoc]

I apologize for not putting the snarky second sentence in blue. I clearly indicated I don't know what I would do because, I don't have enough information.

Yoni, running just as fast as he can.

[Yonivore]

Yoni, running just as fast as he can.
So, you're claiming that wasn't snark or sarcasm? When it followed a sentence that said I don't know what I'd do, I don't have enough information?

Okay. You're a champion of conversation, you win the internet today.

[Cry Havoc]

So, you're claiming that wasn't snark or sarcasm? When it followed a sentence that said I don't know what I'd do, I don't have enough information?

You posited a rhetorically serious question to Chump immediately afterward. Given the amount of tone-deaf statements you've made on Spurstalk here in the past, I wouldn't find it too far beyond the pale for you to say that.

Perhaps the most wryly humorous part of your quote is that you just suggested you wouldn't share your opinion when you lack sufficient information. Which, if exercised commonly, would reduce your posting rate here at ST to a mere pittance.

[ElNono]

It's difficult to tell what's sarcasm or not, tbh... especially coming from a torture apologist...

[Yonivore]

It's difficult to tell what's sarcasm or not, tbh... especially coming from a torture apologist...
I don't apologize for torture.

[Cry Havoc]

I don't apologize for torture.

:lmao Not knowing what "apologist" means.

[Yonivore]

:lmao Not knowing what "apologist" means.
:lmao

[Cry Havoc]

I don't apologize for torture.

a·pol·o·gist
əˈpäləjəst/
noun
a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial.

:lmao :lmao :lmao

Apologist != Apology

:lmao :lmao :lmao

Look, Yoni, you learned something today!

[Yonivore]

a·pol·o·gist
əˈpäləjəst/
noun
a person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial.

:lmao :lmao :lmao

Apologist != Apology

:lmao :lmao :lmao

Look, Yoni, you learned something today!
:lmao

[Yonivore]

Now the FBI is saying it is confirmed:

FBI Shows North Korea Hacked Sony (http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2014/12/19/fbi-unveils-the-sony-hackers.html)


The FBI said Friday in an official statement that "the North Korean government is responsible" for the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and that the attack destroyed thousands of computers in the process.

"The FBI has determined that the intrusion into SPE’s network consisted of the deployment of destructive malware and the theft of proprietary information as well as employees’ personally identifiable information and confidential communications. The attacks also rendered thousands of SPE’s computers inoperable, forced SPE to take its entire computer network offline, and significantly disrupted the company’s business operations."

The FBI said its conclusion that North Korea was behind the hack is based, in part, on the following:

· Similarities in the data-deletion malware and other malware that the FBI knows North Korea previously developed. Specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks are among the details.

· Significant overlap between the infrastructure used in this attack and other malicious activity the U.S. previously linked directly to North Korea. For example, the FBI discovered that several Internet protocol addresses associated with known North Korean infrastructure communicated with IP addresses that were hardcoded into the data deletion malware used in this attack.

· The tools used in the Sony attack have similarities to a cyber attack in March 2013 against South Korean banks and media outlets carried out by North Korea.

Then, there's this...

Sony hack: China may have helped North Korea, US states (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11304283/Sony-hack-China-may-have-helped-North-Korea-US-states.html)


China may have helped North Korea carry out the hacking attack on Sony Pictures, a US official has told Reuters.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the conclusion of the US investigation was to be announced later by federal authorities.

The Chinese embassy in Washington later stated that China does not support "cyber illegalities".

There were also reports on Friday that Iran and Russia may have also helped the North Korean hackers.

The software used in the hacking was at a level of sophistication not previously seen in past North Korean attacks, a US intelligence source told Fox News, adding that China, Iran and Russia had all used the technology previously.

[CosmicCowboy]

That is such ridiculous bullshit.

I guarantee you that China, Russia and Iran didn't all get together in a big conspiracy to help the dumbfuck in North Korea hack SONY.

SONY got caught with their pants down and inadequate system security. All it took was stealing that system admins credentials and the party was on.

Simple as that.

[Yonivore]

That is such ridiculous bullshit.

I guarantee you that China, Russia and Iran didn't all get together in a big conspiracy to help the dumbfuck in North Korea hack SONY.

SONY got caught with their pants down and inadequate system security. All it took was stealing that system admins credentials and the party was on.

Simple as that.
Well, you're the expert with access to all the investigative products so, okay.

[ElNono]

Our company is nobody in the big scheme of things and 99% of hack attempts come from China or Eastern Europe. It's been constant for many, many years. It's no secret who's trying to zombie and hack boxes.

That's why you use tools like fail2ban on your unix servers, update your security toolset, stay on top of security patches, etc, and make life miserable for the intruders. You also keep an eye on your logs and make sure you don't have a mole handing out passwords.

This is as old as the internet, there's no excuse for breaches like that.

[ElNono]

Small sample of banned IPs in one of our servers:

[sendmail] Ban 213.87.130.160 - Russia
[ssh-iptables] Ban 116.10.191.202 - China
[dovecot] Ban 151.250.29.168 - Turkey
[ssh-iptables] Ban 61.174.51.225 - China
[ssh-iptables] Ban 116.10.191.215 - China

That's from Aug 24th, about a 30 secs sample...

[Cry Havoc]

Our company is nobody in the big scheme of things and 99% of hack attempts come from China or Eastern Europe. It's been constant for many, many years. It's no secret who's trying to zombie and hack boxes.

That's why you use tools like fail2ban on your unix servers, update your security toolset, stay on top of security patches, etc, and make life miserable for the intruders. You also keep an eye on your logs and make sure you don't have a mole handing out passwords.

This is as old as the internet, there's no excuse for breaches like that.

Yep. Sony got caught with their pants not only down, but completely off.

[ElNono]

crofl the North Korea "hack" was a SMB worm...

http://www.securityweek.com/hackers-used-sophisticated-smb-worm-tool-attack-sony

:lmao still trusting Windows servers on the interwebs

[Jacob1983]

North Korea is a pussy. They didn't give a fuck over Team America. Who cares if they don't like a movie? Fuck em.

[baseline bum]

crofl the North Korea "hack" was a SMB worm...

http://www.securityweek.com/hackers-used-sophisticated-smb-worm-tool-attack-sony

:lmao still trusting Windows servers on the interwebs

CROFL, you'd think a multibillion dollar company had heard of OpenBSD or FreeBSD. :lol

[ElNono]

CROFL, you'd think a multibillion dollar company had heard of OpenBSD or FreeBSD. :lol

heck, throw CentOS in there...

[DMC]

Sony is a Japanese company. Let them deal with it. If NK commits a terrorist act on US soil, then it's our turn.

[boutons_deux]

Sony is a Japanese company. Let them deal with it. If NK commits a terrorist act on US soil, then it's our turn.

:lol

Sony Corporation of America, located in New York, NY, is the U.S. headquarters of Sony Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan.

Sony's principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc.,

Sony Mobile Communications (USA) Inc.,

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC,

Sony Network Entertainment International LLC.,

Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.,

Sony Music Entertainment,

Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC,

and Sony Online Entertainment LLC.

http://www.sony.com/SCA/

[DMC]

:lol

Sony Corporation of America, located in New York, NY, is the U.S. headquarters of Sony Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan.

Sony's principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc.,

Sony Mobile Communications (USA) Inc.,

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC,

Sony Network Entertainment International LLC.,

Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.,

Sony Music Entertainment,

Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC,

and Sony Online Entertainment LLC.

http://www.sony.com/SCA/
Sony Corporation (ソニー株式会社 Sonī Kabushiki Gaisha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabushiki_Gaisha)? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_sets)), commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan) multinational (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_corporation) conglomerate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conglomerate_(company)) corporation headquartered in Kōnan Minato (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minato,_Tokyo), Tokyo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo), Japan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan).[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-3) Its diversified business is primarily focused on the electronics (TV, Gaming Consoles, Refrigerators), game, entertainment and financial services sectors.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-FY-2) The company is one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products for the consumer and professional markets.[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-SonyHistory-4) Sony is ranked 105th on the 2014 list of Fortune Global 500 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Global_500).[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony#cite_note-5)



Sony Corporation of America (SCA), based in New York (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York),[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corporation_of_America#cite_note-1) is the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony) Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. It is the umbrella company under which all Sony companies operate in the United States.


Think before posting next time, idiot.

[boutons_deux]

Think before posting next time, idiot.

Sony is Japanese, so USA has no interest in Sony's problems, just like Sony has no interests in USA! :lol you fucking idiot

[boutons_deux]

Fox News Host: Stephen Colbert Owes His Success To Us
"He should write an eight-figure check to Fox News," Gutfeld said, "because all of our gaffes made that man’s career."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/greg-gutfeld-success-stephen-colbert?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29

... as if it were only Fox's gaffes that Coal Bear ridiculed pitilessly. :lol

[DMC]

Sony is Japanese, so USA has no interest in Sony's problems, just like Sony has no interests in USA! :lol you fucking idiot

Interests is one thing, responsibility is quite another. Shut up already.

[Yonivore]

https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/546055325246562305/photo/1

[CosmicCowboy]

*

[Winehole23]

At the end of the day, if these are all the IP’s that the US is using as evidence that DPRK carried out this attack I think it is pretty weak as evidence goes. The majority of these systems are proxies and known to be such and the others are weak systems that have likely been compromised for use in this attack and maybe others because hackers share a lot of these C&C boxes. They do so to muddy the waters so to speak, the more groups using them the more confusion can be sewn.


The machine in NY is interesting in that it is still online. I would have thought that the authorities would want to take that into evidence but there it is, still online. Maybe they are still getting round to that… Or maybe they are just happy to make the pronouncement that it was DPRK and leave it be. I personally think that all of these systems together do not lead me or anyone using logic to believe that these are known infrastructures for DPRK unit 128.


Even if the likes of Crowdstrike and others may claim that DPRK has been known to use the same tactics or things like them or any other vague adjectives about the data that they have seen in the past none of it is anything that would be considered evidence in court. It is all considered circumstantial and that evidence is inadmissible. So, the US is going to base a theoretical response on a nation state level, as I said above, on circumstantial evidence?


Now that’s statecraft… Of course I remember a time a while back when we all were told that Iraq had massive WMD stocks and was in kahoots with Al Qaeda. In fact it was a SLAM DUNK according to the then CIA director.


Of course you all know how that all ended.

http://krypt3ia.wordpress.com/2014/12/20/fauxtribution/

[Winehole23]

North Korea (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/index.html?inline=nyt-geo)’s already tenuous links to the Internet went completely dark on Monday after days of instability, in what Internet monitors described as one of the worst North Korean network failures in years.The loss of service came just days after President Obama pledged that the United States would launch a “proportional response” to the recent attacks on Sony Pictures, which government officials have linked to North Korea. While an attack on North Korea’s networks was suspected, there was no definitive evidence of it.


Doug Madory, the director of Internet analysis at Dyn Research, an Internet performance management company, said that North Korean Internet access first became unstable late Friday. The situation worsened over the weekend, and by Monday, North Korea’s Internet was completely offline.


“Their networks are under duress,” Mr. Madory said. “This is consistent with a DDoS attack on their routers,” he said, referring to a distributed denial of service attack, in which attackers flood a network with traffic until it collapses under the load.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/world/asia/attack-is-suspected-as-north-korean-internet-collapses.html

[Winehole23]

blow by blow:

https://www.riskbasedsecurity.com/2014/12/a-breakdown-and-analysis-of-the-december-2014-sony-hack/

[Winehole23]

Jack Goldsmith squints his eyes at the US government's conclusions:



Today’s events demonstrate two huge problems for the government in addressing cyberattacks of this sort.


Attribution. One hears a lot in cybersecurity circles that the government has “solved” the attribution problem. The evidence presented today shows why it has not come close to solving it.


First, the “evidence” is of the most conclusory nature – it is really just unconfirmed statements by the USG. Second, on its face the evidence shows only that this attack has characteristics of prior attacks attributed to North Korea. We know nothing about the attribution veracity of those prior attacks. Much more importantly, it is at least possible that some other nation is spoofing a North Korean attack. For if the United States knows the characteristics or signatures of prior North Korean attacks, then so too might some third country that could use these characteristics or signatures – “specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks,” and similarities in the “infrastructure” and “tools” of prior attacks – to spoof the North Koreans in the Sony hack.


Third, the most significant line in the FBI statement is this: “While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following.” Let us assume that the United States has a lot of other evidence, including human or electronic intelligence from inside Korea, that corroborates its attribution conclusion. This might give the USG confidence in the attribution and might support the legality of a proportionate response. But if protection of “sources and methods” prevents the United States from publicly revealing a lot more evidence, including intelligence beyond mere similar characteristics to past attacks, then there is no reason the rest of the world will or, frankly, should believe that a response on North Korea is justified. (Compare Adlai Stevenson and Colin Powell before the United Nations.) And if the United States’ response is significant, and has wider geo-political implications, this inability to prove attribution could be a huge problem. The important point: Even if the attribution problem is solved in the basement of Ft. Meade and in other dark places in the government, that does not mean the attribution problem is solved as far as public justification – and defense of legality – is concerned.

http://www.lawfareblog.com/2014/12/the-sony-hack-attribution-problems-and-the-connection-to-domestic-surveillance/

[Yonivore]

Update: Sony Pictures CEO ‘excited’ to release ‘The Interview’ on Christmas Day (http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com/2014/12/sources-sony-to-ask-theaters-if-they-want-to-open-the-interview-christmas-day-after-all.html/)

Waiting to see if ADH will screen it here in Austin. Their website is a bit clunky at the moment.

[Winehole23]

http://kxan.com/2014/12/23/alamo-drafthouse-will-show-the-interview-on-christmas-day/

[Yonivore]

http://kxan.com/2014/12/23/alamo-drafthouse-will-show-the-interview-on-christmas-day/
Thanks!

[Winehole23]

Most welcome. Enjoy!

[Winehole23]

http://www.vox.com/2014/12/23/7443177/lizard-squad-north-korea-sony

[Winehole23]

late scuttlebutt points to an inside job:


Kurt Stammberger, a senior vice president with cybersecurity firm Norse, echoed many of Harris' statements in a separate interview, and said that given the severity of the hack it had to have been an inside job.

Stammberger, whose company decided to carry out their own independent investigation, told CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/did-the-fbi-get-it-wrong-on-north-korea/); 'We are very confident that this was not an attack master-minded by North Korea and that insiders were key to the implementation of one of the most devastating attacks in history.'



That's not all either, as he says their research seems to be pointing them towards a woman named Lena who even claims be a member of Guardians of Peace.



'This woman was in precisely the right position and had the deep technical background she would need to locate the specific servers that were compromised,' revealed Stammberger.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2887081/North-Korea-NOT-Sony-hack-according-multiple-security-experts-discredit-FBI-findings-reveal-insider-named-Lena-responsible.html#ixzz3NDlDNcR6

[Slomo]

crofl the North Korea "hack" was a SMB worm...

http://www.securityweek.com/hackers-used-sophisticated-smb-worm-tool-attack-sony

:lmao still trusting Windows servers on the interwebs


CROFL, you'd think a multibillion dollar company had heard of OpenBSD or FreeBSD. :lol


Stupid indeed. Especially since I know for a fact that Sony Corp. servers in Japan were actually behind a very solid OBSD setup about a decade ago. I wonder if the move to MS is just a SPE thing or overall corp move.

I'm not familiar with CentOS, but I still can't bring myself to take anything based on linux seriously. Although I would still take that vs. Windows server anyday.

[ElNono]

Stupid indeed. Especially since I know for a fact that Sony Corp. servers in Japan were actually behind a very solid OBSD setup about a decade ago. I wonder if the move to MS is just a SPE thing or overall corp move.

I'm not familiar with CentOS, but I still can't bring myself to take anything based on linux seriously. Although I would still take that vs. Windows server anyday.

CentOS is the open source build of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It's binary and package compatible. In other words, it's the exact same build made from the same sources but with all the RedHat logos and branding removed.

[boutons_deux]

http://www.alternet.org/files/styles/story_image/public/story_images/shutterstock_58113379.jpg

Fox & Friends Host Clayton Morris told one for the ages when he announced that the Obama Administration was on the verge of banning donut sprinkles (or jimmies).

Clayton held a plate of donuts to the camera and mournfully declared that Americans will have to “say goodbye to your favorite sprinkled donut.”

http://www.alternet.org/media/conservatives-flip-out-claim-obama-set-ban-donut-sprinkles